Megachile

Subgenus Chelostomoides Robertson, 4 species

These bees do not use leaves to construct their nest but use resin, mud, or other materials. Of the four species recorded for Florida, M. georgica is the most common and widespread species, ranging from the northern counties to the Florida Keys.

Key to females of Megachile (Chelostomoides)

  1. Clypeus much modified, produced and deeply excavated..M.rugifrons

    Clypeus less modified, flattened, either entire apically or dentate or emarginate..2

  2. Clypeal margin entire, neither denticulate nor emarginate..M. georgica

    Meg geor F mandclyp

    Clypeal margin either denticulate, tuberculate, or emarginate..3

  3. Clypeal margin with a median denticule..M. exilis parexilis

    Meg exil F mandclyp

    Clypeal margin emarginate medially, with no indication of a median denticle..M. campanulae

    Note: usually with two denticles flanking the median emargination

    Meg camp F mandclyp

Key to males of Chelostomoides

  1. Mandible without an inferior projection..M. rugifrons

    Mandible with a definite inferior projection ..2

  2. Meg exil M headvent
  3. Front tarsi dark, only slightly dilated and flattenend..M. campanulae

    Meg camp M forelegdor

    Front tarsi ferruginous, at least the basal joints distinctly dilated and flattened..3

  4. Meg geor M forelegdor
  5. Front coxae with well-developed, though short, spines..M.georgica

    Front coxal spines reduced to minute tubercles ..M. exilis parexilis

    Note: M. georgica and M. rugifrons have oblique lines of tomentum on the anterior scutum lacking on M. campanulae and M. exilis. Males of each species have distinctive forelegs, see photos.


Megachilidae: Megachile campanulae (Robertson) (Includes M. campanulae campanulae (Robertson) and M. campanulae wilmingtoni Mitchell)

County Records: M. campanulae wilmingtoni is the subspecies found in Florida: Alachua, St. Johns, Miami-Dade

megcam.gif (16898 bytes)

Locations: Gainesville (San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park), Crescent City

Dates: Feb.-Nov

Plants: Polylectic, often on legumes or composites

Notes: Subspecies wilmingtoni is the southeastern coastal form of M. campanulae. Nests in borings in wood. The female of M. campanulae campanulae is smaller than M. campanulae wilmingtoni (10-11 mm vs. 11-12 mm), has entirely pale pubescence on the sixth tergum vs. whitish and short erect black hairs; and has lightly infuscated wings vs. deeply infuscated wings. Males can be separated on the basis of size and wing infuscation, similar to females.

Female

Meg camp F dorhab
Meg camp F face
Meg camp F mandclyp
Meg camp F vertscut
Meg camp F petio
Meg camp F abddor
Meg camp F termdor
Meg camp F lathab
Meg camp F genapleur
Meg camp F proplat
Meg camp F proplat 2
Meg camp F abdlat
Meg camp F termlat
Meg camp F venthab
Meg camp F headthorvent
Meg camp F stern
Meg camp F wings

Male

Meg camp M dorhab
Meg camp M dorhab 2
Meg camp M face
Meg camp M mandclyp
Meg camp M vertscut
Meg camp M petio
Meg camp M petio 2
Meg camp M abddor
Meg camp M term
Meg camp M termdor
Meg camp M lathab
Meg camp M lathab 2
Meg camp M genapleur
Meg camp M genapleur
Meg camp M proplat
Meg camp M abdlat
Meg camp M venthab
Meg camp M headvent
Meg camp M headthorvent
Meg camp M stern
Meg camp M wings
Meg camp M forelegdor
Meg camp M forelegvent
Meg camp M genarmdor

Megachilidae: Megachile exilis parexilis Mitchell

County Records: Alachua, Highlands

Locations: Gainesville, Archbold Biological Station

Dates: March-October

Plants: Polylectic, primarily legumes

Notes: Nests in borings. Primarily a southeastern species.

Female

Meg exil F dorhab
Meg exil F faceprob
Meg exil F mandclyp
Meg exil F vertscut
Meg exil F petio
Meg exil F abddor
Meg exil F termdor
Meg exil F lathab
Meg exil F genapleur
Meg exil F proplat
Meg exil F abdlat
Meg exil F termlat
Meg exil F venthab
Meg exil F headvent
Meg exil F headthorvent
Meg exil F stern
Meg exil F wings

Male

Meg exil M dorhab
Meg exil M faceprob
Meg exil M mandclyp
Meg exil M vertscut
Meg exil M petio
Meg exil M abddor
Meg exil M termdor
Meg exil M lathab
Meg exil M genapleur
Meg exil M proplat
Meg exil M abdlat
Meg exil M venthab
Meg exil M headvent
Meg exil M headthorvent
Meg exil M stern
Meg exil M wings
Meg exil M forelegdor
Meg exil M foreledvent
Meg exil M genarmdor

Megachilidae: Megachile georgica Cresson

County Records: Alachua, Putnam, Levy, Highlands, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Volusia, Leon, Wakulla (Probably throughout)

meggeo.gif (17349 bytes)

Locations: Gainesville (Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park, Austin Cary Forest), Goethe State Forest, Ordway-Swisher Biological Station, Archbold Biological Station, Hollywood, No Name Key, Titusville, Miami

Dates: March-November

Plants: Polylectic, primarily legumes

Notes: Nests in borings. Primarily a southeastern species.

Female

Meg geor F dorhab
Meg geor F faceprob
Meg geor F mandclyp
Meg geor F vertscut
Meg geor F petio
Meg geor F abddor
Meg geor F lathab
Meg geor F genapleur
Meg geor F proplat
Meg geor F proplat 2
Meg geor F abdlat
Meg geor F venthab
Meg geor F headvent
Meg geor F headthorvent
Meg geor F stern
Meg geor F wings

Male

Meg geor M dorhab
Meg geor M faceprob
Meg geor M mandclyp
Meg geor M vertscut
Meg geor M petio 2
Meg geor M abddor
Meg geor M term
Meg geor M lathab
Meg geor M genapleur
Meg geor M proplat
Meg geor M venthab
Meg geor M headvent
Meg geor M headvent 2
Meg geor M headthorvent
Meg geor M stern
Meg geor M wings
Meg geor M forelegdor
Meg geor M foreledvent
Meg geor M genarmdor
Meg geor M midcox

Megachilidae: Megachile rugifrons Smith

County Records: None from FSCA. Baker/Columbia, also collected in Wakulla Co. (not shown on map)

megrug.gif (17085 bytes)

Locations:

Dates:

Plants: Polylectic

Notes: Widespread species.

Female

megrugface.GIF
megrugmandible.GIF
megrugside.GIF
megrugabdside.GIF